Just thought it would be neat to start a thread for dog poems, there are so many great ones out there. Here are a few I found today....

If You Can
(unknown author)
.
If you can start the day without caffeine,
If you can get going without pep pills
If you can always be cheerful, ignoring aches and pains,
If you can resist complaining, and boring people with your troubles,
If you can eat the same food everyday, and be grateful for it,
If you can understand when your loved ones are too busy to give you any time,
If you can overlook it when those you love take it out on you when,
through no fault of yours, something goes wrong,
If you can take criticism and blame without resentment,
If you can ignore a friend's limited education and never correct him,
If you can resist treating a rich friend better than a poor friend,
If you can face the world without lies and deceit,
If you can conquer tension without medical help,
If you can relax without liquor,
If you can sleep without the aid of drugs,
If you can say honestly that deep in your heart you have no
prejudice against, creed, color, religion or politics,
If you can give love unconditionally without pressure or expectation,
Then, my friend, you are almost as good as your dog.

A Dog's prayer

.Now I lay me down to sleep,
The king-size bed is soft and deep..
I sleep right in the centre groove
My human being can hardly move!
I've trapped her legs, she's tucked in tight
And here is where I pass the night
No one disturbs me or dares intrude
Till morning comes and "I want food!"
I sneak up slowly to begin
my nibbles on my human's chin.
She wakes up quickly,
I have sharp teeth-
I'm a puppy, don't you see?
For the morning's here
and it's time to play
I always seem to get my way.
So thank you Lord for giving me
This human person that I see.
The one who hugs and holds me tight
And shares her bed with me at night!

I see the children in the lane
They look like friends, we'll have a game
They've got a stick, oh boy, what fun
They'll throw it for me and I'll run
But someone stops me,
I wonder why their mother screams "Don't go near those"
Horrid Dogs, come here, come close
They're dangerous-I'll tell you why
They bite little children and they die
All I can do is watch and sigh
Cause now I know that Pit Bull's don't cry

Mum cuddles me up and says "My pet
We love you dearly so don't you fret"
But I love everyone out there
Why can't they love me, I do care
I wish they weren't made to pass me by
I'm a Pit Bull, I don't cry

I sit behind my padlocked gate
From early morn til quite late
When I go out it's on a lead
Is mine the only heart to bleed
I'm held in check as the world goes by
I wish the Pit Bull heart could cry

There are some dogs, and also men
Who cannot tell a foe from a friend
So all of us must bear the blame
Expected to live a life of shame
Condemned, alas and we know not why

All we know is we will not cry!

~Author Unknown~

The one absolutely unselfish friend that
a man can have in this selfish world,
the one that never deserts him,
the one that never proves ungrateful
or treacherous, is his dog.

A man's dog stands by him in prosperity
and in poverty,
in health and in sickness.
He will sleep on the cold ground where
the wintery winds blow,
and the snow drives fiercely,
if only he may be near his master's
side. He will kiss the hand that has no
food to offer, he will lick the sores
and wounds that come in encounter with
the roughness of the world. He guards
the sleep of his Pauper master as if he
were a prince.

When all other friends desert,
he remains.
When riches take wings and reputation
falls to pieces, he is as constant in
his love as the sun in it's journey
through the heavens.
If misfortune drives the master forth
an outcast in the world, friendless
and homeless, the faithful dog asks
no higher privilege than that of
accompanying him to guard against
danger, to fight against his enemies.

And when the last scene of all comes,
and death takes the master in it's
embrace, and his body is laid away in
the cold ground, no matter if all other
friends pursue their way, there by the
graveside will the noble dog be found,
his head between his paws, his eyes sad,
but open in alert watchfulness,
faithful and true, even in death.

-From a speech given by
Former Senator George Graham Vest
of Missouri. Delivered in 1870 when he
was acting as a lawyer in a suit against
a man who had killed the dog of his
client. -- He won the case.